Raststr, not all dogs will run off, but it tends to depend on breed, training & intelligence of the owner (IF the owner is around), but I've worked with dogs for 40 years, and filtered it down to just a few basics: a) all dogs can get scared, & b) most owners are dumber than their dogs.

A Mal-igator is like my Terv in that they may go exploring, but mostly stick pretty close to their owner. Breeds like Irish Setters, Beagles, etc, well..... make sure they have ID.

John, I think the suggestion about a cart is a good one. My dog weighs 50 lbs, so I couldn't carry her far. I've been looking at those lightweight collapsible baby strollers with the idea of conversion in mind. Aluminum + ripstop nylon on wheels.

For a dust mask (living here between two volcanoes), I was wondering if a whole-head mask might be the way to go, an adulteration of a horse fly-mask that fits loosely over the whole head and attaches to her collar.

If anyone has info on a source of dust-mask fabric in larger pieces, I would appreciate the info; otherwise, it's going to be patch-patch-patch. <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Sue